1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a golf training aid. More particularly, the present invention relates to a novel and improved golf training mat for use in teaching golfers of all abilities the views and angles of proper golf club aiming and alignment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Fundamental to a consistent ability to score well in the game of golf is the ability to properly strike a golf ball. By properly striking a golf ball with a given golf club, the golfer may drive the golf ball a given distance along an intended trajectory. In other words, the golfer may thus direct the ball at the intended target with a desired flight path, which flight path may comprise a high path, a low path, a straight path, a fade path or a draw path, as desired. In this regard, the golfer must develop the fundamental ability to visualize the trajectory path or ball-to-target line, square the golf club head perpendicular to the ball-to-target line, appropriately align the golfer""s shoulders and feet with respect to the ball-to-target line, and initiate the golf club swing along a line parallel to the plane of the golfer""s shoulders.
As many avid golf enthusiasts will attest, the ability to purposefully strike a golf ball in the described proper manner is not a simple undertaking. The golfer must properly aim and align the golf club with the golf ball using proper viewing practices and angles of alignment in order to achieve a proper golf ball strike. Through repetition and/or practice, a skilled golfer typically commits the necessary visualizations and angles of alignment to bodily memory, such that the ability to properly strike a golf ball in a given striking scenario results less from conscious efforts and more from an ingrained golf sense.
The ball-to-target line the golfer visualizes may most conveniently be envisioned by envisioning the plane or line passing through the golfer""s shoulders (shoulder line) or the line connecting the tips of the golfer""s feet (foot line) as being parallel to the ball-to-target line. The true ball-to-target line is the line whose tail end may be envisioned as emanating approximately three feet away from and roughly parallel to the golfers foot line or shoulder line. Frequently, a golfer will improperly align his or her foot line or shoulder line directly on the target. This improper alignment typically results in a trajectory path or ball-to-target line misaligned or misaimed to the right of the target for right-handed golfers or to the left of the target for left-handed golfers. In order to cure the often-encountered misalignment, the golfer will improperly adjust the golfer""s arms or hands during the downswing of a golf club, which typically results in an out-of-control ball flight trajectory. If no arm or hand adjustment is attempted during the downswing, the propelled golf ball will usually fly well right of the intended target for right-handed golfers or well left of the target for left-handed golfers. The described tendency to misalign or misaim is natural and affects golfers of all abilities.
An additional and related golfing flaw is the golfer""s inability to square his or her golf club head to the ball-to-target line. In other words, the golfer often fails to strike a golf ball such that the plane of the golf club face is substantially orthogonal to the tail end of the ball-to-tail line. It is often the case that if the ball-to-target line is not well envisioned, it becomes difficult to square the club head. In this regard, when the golf club is drawn back during the backswing, the golfer misaligns the golf club face. In this regard, the golf club face is typically pivoted about its vertical center line in slight degrees. The pivot or rotation about the vertical center line of the golf club face may either be counterclockwise (xe2x80x9ctoed inxe2x80x9d for a right-handed golfer) or clockwise (xe2x80x9ctoed outxe2x80x9d for a left-handed golfer), which slight rotation from the preferred orthogonal positioning, if not corrected during the downswing, results in a trajectory path that is often far left or far right of the intended ball-to-target line, and the head or termination of which is often in a less than ideal location.
While related, the ability to properly align the foot line and/or the shoulder line with the ball-to-target line and the ability to properly square the golf club head require different golfing skills. More particularly, the two noted abilities require different visualization skills and concomitant bodily events. A myriad of golf training aids have been developed in an attempt to aid golfers in their pursuit of perfecting their golfing skills and abilities. It is noted that the prior art teaches a great variety of golf training aids in general and golf training mat-type systems or apparatuses in particular. Some of the more pertinent prior art relating to golf training aids and the like is described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,637,339 (""339 Patent), which issued to Glennon et al. for example, discloses a Means for Instructing Golf Strokes. The ""339 Patent teaches a device for the instruction of golf strokes, which comprises a base member, and a pair of laterally spaced longitudinally extending upstanding guide shoulders on said base member. The paired guide members are adapted to define a guide way for the free passage of the head of a properly swung golf-club. A golf ball may be placed intermediate the paired guide members atop the base member and thus may be addressed by a properly swung golf club.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,101 (""101 Patent), which issued to Bishop et al., discloses a Golf Swing Aid. The ""101 Patent teaches a golf swing practice device comprising a pad having a tee area and a simulated captive ball member therein. Also disclosed is a curved line representing the ground trace of the swing of the club extending to the tee area and a resilient upright member wound on a reel for vertical adjustment located along said line and representing a vertical point on the swing path of said club.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,510,135 (""135 Patent), which issued to Gentile, discloses a Training Device for Golfers. The ""135 Patent teaches the combination of a vertically adjustable guide stand that consists of a base to which is secured a vertically adjustable tubular member, called a swing arm holder, to the upper end of which is adjustably secured a horizontally disposed padded swing arm having an outer end against which the golfer places the back of his head; a mat on which the golfer stands and which indicates the position the golfer places his feet when swinging his club to hit the golf ball; and a hitting mat, a rectangular mat having a plurality of equally spaced and parallel guide lines thereon in both the longitudinal and lateral direction. The guide lines are intended to provide means for enabling the golfer to more properly guide the golf club head during the downswing of the golf club.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,542,369 (""369 Patent), which issued to Anderson, discloses a Golf Practice Mat. The ""369 Patent teaches a portable practice mat made of felted fibers laterally bordered by plastic material. A tee with a wide base extends upward through a centrally located hole in the mat. Indicia on the plastic material show the direction of the target and the path that the head of the club should follow to drive a ball from the tee to said target. Additional indicia show the proper position of the golfer""s feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,868,109 (""109 Patent), which issued to Fowler, discloses a Golfer""s Practice Mat. The ""109 Patent teaches a practice mat for golfers upon which either a left handed or right handed golfer may stand while practice-swinging a golf club and which provides for each a longitudinally extending stance guide slot correlated to a transverse guide slot which cooperate to properly position the feet of the golfer in relation to the ball. An additional transverse guide slot represents the flight line of a ball when the club head is swung parallel to a fourth guide slot defining the swing line of the club head. Colored cleats set in the fourth guide slot Lo psychologically compel the golfer to assume a proper stance on the practice mat and to consistently swing the golf club through a prescribed path over the mat so as to cause the stance and swing to become habitual with the golfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,905 (""905 Patent), which issued to Shirhall, discloses a Practice Mat for Golfers. The ""905 Patent teaches a mat for guiding golfers in addressing the ball on which are indicated positions and angles for the feet, placement of the ball and guide lines to indicate the proper direction to be traversed by the club.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,248,431 (""431 Patent), which issued to Burnes, discloses a Golfing Aid. The ""431 Patent teaches a golfing aid comprising a base mat having a target line aligned with an intended course of travel for a golf ball and an approach line obliquely angularly related to the target line and intersecting it adjacent to a predetermined tee position of the ball. Further, an approach mat is slidably rested on the base mat for movement along the approach line and provided with indicia for indicating dispositions of the feet assumed in approaching the ball. A pair of foot mats slidably rest on the approach mat defining a disposition of the feet for addressing the ball and certain devices releasably secure the foot mats in selected relative positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,581 (""581 Patent), which issued to Williamson, discloses a Golf Practice Aid. The ""581 Patent teaches a visual golf practice aid for improving hand-eye coordination by the person actually being able to see the correct way to swing. This is accomplished through a plurality of parallel diagonal lines on a generally square base with a grid of large and small dots to indicate any undesirable sway movement from the fixed fulcrum point.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,913 (""913 Patent), which issued to Bott, discloses a Device for Developing Golf Ball Address Stance. The ""913 Patent teaches an L-shaped golf teaching, training and practice device comprising in combination a mat, at least one removably attachable or adhesive foot silhouette which is attachable to said mat for the alignment of at least one of a golfer""s feet, a precision stance placement grid on said mat comprising vertical and horizontal perception lines, and a swing path on said mat. The device, when used in conjunction with proper exercising will program the subconscious member to achieve a proper and reproducible address and stance for a precision swing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,387 (""387 Patent), which issued to Baxstrom, discloses a Golf Practice and Training Device. The ""387 Patent teaches a golf practice mat having an upper surface provided with fixed lines to establish foot and shoulder alignment, swing path guidelines, ball position and unlofting lines in further combination with ball placement markers. Foot position indicia are color-coded to match up with ball placement markers and line of flight arrows to promote proper address and body position with respect to the ball thereby aiding a golfer""s shot-making ability.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,131,659 (""659 Patent), which issued to Lindberg, Jr., discloses a Golf Putting Training and Practice Aid. The ""659 Patent teaches a golf putting training and practice aid for use by right or left handed golfers to improve their putting stance and stroke comprising a reflective sheet adapted for placement on the ground and provided with indicia to indicate eye position, shoulder position, putter position and travel relative to the reflection of a golfer standing over the device. The indicia comprise a target line along the longitudinal center of the sheet, a center line perpendicular to and bisecting the target line, a pre-impact correction and length gauge along the target line to one side of the center line, a pair of putter head guide lines parallel to and on either side of the target line and shoulder guide lines between the putter head guide lines and the parallel edges of the sheet.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,163,686 (""686 Patent), which issued to Bergman, discloses a Practice Mat for Golfers. The ""686 Patent teaches a practice mat for golfers usable in combination with at least one golfball and at least one golf club, for indicating the suggested placement of the golf ball, the suggested alignment of the golf club with the golf ball and the feet of the golfer, and the suggested direction of travel of the head of the golf club. The mat has indicia on a surface. There are indicia including a plurality of rectangles indicating placement of a golf ball and there is a line indicating the desired direction of travel of the golf ball once the golf ball is struck by the preselected club.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,333,875 (""875 Patent), which issued to Wilson, discloses an Alignment System for Golf Ball Driving and Hitting Mat. The ""875 Patent teaches an alignment system for aiding in the alignment of a golf club with a golf ball prior to hitting the golf ball comprising a pad of material having a bottom surface for placement on a support surface, and a resilient top surface on which the golf ball is to be placed for hitting. Also included are first and second stripes defined in the top surface of the pad in a side-by-side, generally parallel relationship at or near the location at which the golf ball is to be placed, for enabling the visual alignment of the golf club head relative to the stripes and the golf ball.
From a review of these patents and other prior art generally known in the relevant art, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach an L-shaped golf training mat for enabling the golfer to improve upon the golfer""s aiming and alignment skills wherein the L-shaped golf training mat is defined by comprising a substantially planar superior mat surface upon which are placed uniquely configured positioning-aiming markings. In this regard, the prior art does not teach positioning-aiming markings positioned on the superior mat surface of an L-shaped mat, which markings are longitudinally and latitudinally aligned for enabling the golfer to visualize an effective ball-placement-zone distally removed from the L-shaped mat and defined by distally extending and laterally extending zone lines collinear with the positioning-aiming markings. Further, the prior art does not teach the use of positioning-aiming lines to enable the user to visualize a preferred golf-ball-position locator, which golf-ball-position locator is the geometric center of the ball-placement zone and is defined by a distally-laterally removed orthogonal intersection of lines collinear with select position-aiming markings.
It will thus be seen that the prior art does not teach an L-shaped golf training mat comprising positioning-aiming markings which enable a golfer to effectively visualize a golf ball position locator distally and laterally removed from portions of the L-shaped mat, which golf ball position locator functions in cooperative association with the positioning-aiming markings to enable the golfer to align and aim golf shots for more readily controllable golf ball flight trajectories.
Further, the prior art does not teach an upendable mat for selective use either by a right-handed golfer or a left-handed golfer. In this regard, the prior art does not teach a golf training mat comprising markings on the superior mat surface and markings on the inferior mat surface, which markings are mirror images of one another and are configured such that a right-handed golfer may upend or flip over the golf training mat from a right-handed configuration and expose the golf training mat""s right-handed inferior mat surface to a left-handed superior mat surface for use by a left-handed golfer.
It will be further seen that the prior art does not teach an auxiliary alignment blade removably attachable to an L-shaped golf training mat for enabling a golfer to align and aim golf shots for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories. In this regard, it will be seen that the prior art does not teach an L-shaped training mat and blade combination, wherein the superior blade surface comprises reference markings which function in cooperative association with positioning-aiming markings on the superior mat surface for enabling a golfer to align and aim for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories.
Of the many golf training or practice aids that have been developed, many provide a mat for placement at the golfer""s feet, which mat serves to guide the golfer during a golf shot. In this regard, it is noted that many golf training mats comprise markings, which aid the golfer in aligning and aiming his or her golf shot as well as a host of other elemental golf training or practice steps. Indeed, it has been shown that golf training apparatuses in general and golf training mats in particular, are well known in the prior art. However, in addition to often being exorbitantly priced, the golf training mats that have been developed are often cumbersome to practice, cumbersome to stow, cumbersome to transport, and are often severely lacking in substantive educational value. The prior art thus perceives a need for a golf training mat designed to teach the proper aiming and feet/shoulder/golf club alignment methods by teaching and reinforcing the correct views and angles. Further, the prior art perceives a need for a golf training mat, unique in its combination of sound educational utility, and unique in its ease of use, including stowability and portability. Further, the prior art perceives a need for a low cost golf training mat comprising attractive retail commercial features.
The prior art thus perceives a need for an L-shaped golf training mat for enabling a golfer to improve upon the golfer""s aiming and alignment skills wherein the L-shaped golf training mat is defined by comprising a substantially planar superior mat surface comprising uniquely configured positioning-aiming markings. In this regard, the prior art perceives a need for positioning-aiming markings positioned on the superior mat surface of an L-shaped mat, which markings are longitudinally and latitudinally aligned for enabling the golfer to visualize an effective ball-placement-zone distally removed from the L-shaped mat and defined by distally extending and laterally extending zone lines collinear with the positioning-aiming markings. Further, the prior art perceives a need for positioning-aiming lines, which enable the golfer to visualize a preferred golf-ball-position locator, which golf-ball-position locator is the geometric center of the ball-placement zone and is defined by a distally-laterally removed orthogonal intersection of lines collinear with select position-aiming markings.
Further, the prior art perceives a need for an L-shaped golf training mat comprising a golf ball position locator distally and laterally removed from portions of the L-shaped mat, which golf ball position locator functions in cooperative association with the positioning-aiming markings to enable the golfer to align and aim golf shots for more readily controllable golf ball flight trajectories. Further, the prior art perceives a need for an upendable mat for selective use either by a right-handed golfer or a left-handed golfer. In this regard, the prior art perceives a need for a golf training mat comprising markings on the superior mat surface and markings on the inferior mat surface, which markings are mirror images of one another and are configured such that a right-handed golfer may upend or flip over the golf training mat from a right-handed configuration and expose the golf training mat""s right-handed inferior mat surface to a left-handed superior mat surface for use by a left-handed golfer.
Further, the prior art perceives a need for an auxiliary alignment blade removably attachable to an L-shaped golf training mat for enabling the golfer to align and aim golf shots for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories. In this regard, the prior art perceives a need for an L-shaped training mat and auxiliary alignment blade combination, wherein the superior blade surface comprises reference markings which function in cooperative association with positioning-aiming markings on the superior mat surface for enabling a golfer to align and aim for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf training mat that teaches the golfing user the proper aiming and feet/shoulder/golf club alignment methods by teaching and reinforcing the correct views and angles. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf training mat, unique in its combination of educational utility and soundness. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a golf training mat which is easy of use, easy to stow and easy to transport. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf training mat low in cost and provides attractive retail commercial features.
More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an L-shaped golf training mat for enabling a golfer to improve upon the golfer""s aiming and alignment skills wherein the L-shaped golf training mat is defined by comprising a substantially planar superior mat surface, which comprises uniquely configured positioning-aiming markings. In this regard, it is an object of the present invention to provide positioning-aiming markings uniquely positioned on the superior mat surface of an L-shaped mat, which markings are longitudinally and latitudinally aligned in particular spatial locations for enabling the golfer to visualize an effective ball-placement-zone distally removed from the L-shaped mat relative to the golfer and defined by distally extending and laterally extending zone lines collinear with the positioning-aiming markings. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide positioning-aiming lines atop an L-shaped golf training mat, which enable the golfer to visualize a preferred golf-ball-position locator, which golf-ball-position locator is the geometric center of the ball-placement zone defined by a distally-laterally removed orthogonal intersection of lines collinear with select position-aiming markings. Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an L-shaped golf training mat comprising positioning-aiming markings, which enable a golfer to effectively visualize a golf ball position locator distally and laterally removed from portions of the L-shaped mat, which golf ball position locator functions in cooperative association with the positioning-aiming markings to enable the golfer to align and aim golf shots for more readily controllable golf ball flight trajectories.
Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an upendable mat for selective use either by a right-handed golfer or a left-handed golfer. In this regard, it is an object of the present invention to provide a golf training mat comprising markings on the superior mat surface and markings on the inferior mat surface, which markings are mirror images of one another and are configured such that a right-handed golfer may upend or flip over the golf training mat from a right-handed configuration and expose the golf training mat""s right-handed inferior mat surface to a left-handed superior mat surface for use by a left-handed golfer.
Still further, it is an object of the present invention to provide an auxiliary alignment blade removably attachable to the L-shaped golf training mat for enabling a golfer to align and aim golf shots for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories. In this regard, it is an object of the present invention to provide an L-shaped training mat and auxiliary alignment blade combination, wherein the superior blade surface of the auxiliart alignment blade comprises reference markings which function in cooperative association with positioning-aiming markings on the superior mat surface to enable a golfer to align and aim for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories.
To achieve these and other readily apparent objectives, the present invention provides a golf training mat for enabling a golfer to improve upon the golfer""s aiming and alignment skills, the golf training mat comprising a substantially planar, L-shaped mat. The L-shaped mat comprises a superior mat surface, an inferior mat surface, a longitudinal axis, and a latitudinal axis. The superior mat surface comprises main mat coloration for providing a visualization template; the inferior mat surface is designed to compliantly engage an underlying substrate surface; and the longitudinal axis intersects with the latitudinal axis at the one exterior corner location of the L-shaped mat. In this last regard, it is noted that an L-shaped mat will necessarily comprise at least six peripheral edges, five interior corners, and one exterior corner. The six peripheral edges comprise three latitudinal edges and three longitudinal edges wherein the latitudinal edges are further defined by comprising a distal mat edge distally parallel to the latitudinal axis, a reference-positioning edge coaxial with the latitudinal axis, and a reference-alignment edge proximally parallel to the latitudinal axis. The longitudinal edges are further defined by comprising a fore mat edge laterally spaced and parallel to the longitudinal axis, an aiming-squaring edge coaxial with the longitudinal axis, and a rear mat edge laterally spaced and parallel to the longitudinal axis.
The superior mat surface further comprises positioning-aiming markings, which may be defined by comprising longitudinal positioning lines and latitudinal aiming lines. The positioning lines comprise a main-ball-positioning pattern and a takeaway-ball-positioning line. The main-ball-positioning pattern comprises a main-ball-positioning line, paired distal-auxiliary-positioning lines, and paired proximal-auxiliary-positioning lines. The main-ball-positioning line orthogonally intersects both the reference-positioning edge and the reference-alignment edge. The distal-auxiliary-positioning lines orthogonally intersect the reference-positioning edge laterally opposite and equidistant from the main-ball-positioning line and the proximal-auxiliary-positioning lines orthogonally intersect the reference-alignment edge laterally opposite and equidistant from the main ball positioning line. The distal-auxiliary-positioning lines are collinear with the proximal-auxiliary-positioning lines. The takeaway-ball-positioning line orthogonally intersects the reference-positioning edge and the reference alignment edge medial to the main ball positioning pattern. The main-ball-positioning line thus enables the golfer to visualize a visual-positioning-line extending distally from the reference-positioning edge collinear with the main-ball-positioning line.
The aiming lines comprise a fore-main-aiming line, a rear-main-aiming line, paired fore-auxiliary-aiming lines, and paired rear auxiliary aiming lines. The fore-main-aiming line orthogonally intersects the aiming-squaring edge; the fore-auxiliary-aiming lines orthogonally intersect the aiming-squaring edge longitudinally opposite and equidistant from the fore-main-aiming line; the rear-main-aiming line orthogonally intersects the rear mat edge; and the rear-auxiliary-aiming lines orthogonally intersect the rear mat edge longitudinally opposite and equidistant from the rear-main-aiming line. The fore-auxiliary-aiming lines are collinear with the rear-auxiliary-aiming lines and the fore-main-aiming line is collinear with the rear-main-aiming line thus forming a collinear main-aiming-line-pairing. The main-aiming-line pairing is designed to enable a golfer to visualize a visual-aiming line extending laterally from the aiming-squaring edge collinear with the main-aiming-line-pairing.
Together, the main-ball-positioning pattern and the aiming lines thus enable a golfer to visualize an effective ball-placement-zone distally removed from the L-shaped mat relative to the golfer and defined by distally extending and laterally extending zone lines collinear with the main-ball-positioning pattern and the aiming lines. The ball-placement-zone further comprises a preferred golf-ball-position locator, the golf-ball-position locator being defined by an orthogonal intersection of the visual-positioning line and the visual-aiming line at the geometric center of the ball-placement zone. The positioning-aiming markings thus enable a golfer to align and aim for controlled golf ball flight trajectories as will be described in more detail in the section below entitled, Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment.
Additionally, the present invention provides a combination golf training mat and auxiliary alignment blade apparatus. The auxiliary alignment blade comprises a centered longitudinal blade axis, a superior blade surface, an inferior blade surface, a left blade end, a right blade end, a linear distal blade edge, and a linear proximal blade edge. Further disclosed are pivot fastening means cooperatively associated with the auxiliary alignment blade, which function to removably attach to the auxiliary alignment blade to the L-shaped mat adjacent the reference-alignment edge. The pivot fastening means are cooperatively associated with a user-selected, proximally located internal corner. The removably attached auxiliary alignment blade is pivotable about a blade pivot axis located at the selected internal corner and is designed to enable a golfer to align and aim for variably controlled golf ball flight trajectories described in more detail in the section below entitled, Alternative Embodiment.
Other objects of the present invention, as well as particular features, elements, and advantages thereof, will be elucidated in, or apparent from, the following description and the accompanying drawing figures.